How do you propose printing Iskra in Russia? At a secret
printing-press or a legal one? If the latter, write
immediately whether you have anything definite in view; we are
ready to snatch at this plan with both hands (it is, possible,
we have been assured, in the Caucasus), and it would not
require much
money.[1]
If the former, bear in mind that
in our printed sheet (4 pages) there are about 100,000
characters [and that each month!]; would a secret
printingpress be able to cope with that? Will it not waste a vast
amount of money and people with excessively great risk?
Would it not be better to use this money and energy on
shipments, which Russia, in any case, cannot do without.

Notes

[1]If you have any more or less reliable contacts with, legal
printing-plants, talk the matter over with them without fail and write
to us; we have our own, very practical (and tested) plan on this
score.[3]—Lenin

Knipovich, Lydia Mikhailovna (1856-1920)—a professional
revolutionary, started her revolutionary activities in the seventies,
carried on extensive cultural and educational work among the workers and
played a prominent part in establishing Iskra’s contacts
with the local organisations in Russia. After the Second Congress of the
R.S.D.L.P. adhered to the Bolsheviks. p. 70

[3]Lenin proposed setting up Iskra abroad, having a matrix made from
the typesetting and the matrix sent to Russia to be stereotyped and
printed. p. 70